Impact Of A Visual Programming Experience On The Attitude Toward Programming Of Introductory Undergraduate Students

Traditionally, textual tools have been utilized to teach basic programming languages and paradigms. Research has shown that students tend to be visual learners. Using flowcharts, students can quickly understand the logic of their programs and visualize the flow of commands in the algorithm. Moreover, applying programming to physical systems through the use of a microcontroller to facilitate this type of learning can spark an interest in students to advance their programming knowledge to create novel applications. This study examined if freshmen college students\u27 attitudes towards programming changed after completing a graphical programming lesson. Various attributes about students\u27 attitudes were examined including confidence, interest, stereotypes, and their belief in the usefulness of acquiring programming skills. The study found that there were no statistically significant differences in attitudes either immediately following the session or after a period of four weeks

Spartan Daily, April 8, 2003

Volume 120, Issue 45https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/9841/thumbnail.jp

A Way of Proceeding: Ethical Decision-Making for Management Students at Jesuit Colleges

This textbook includes assignments (group and individual) suggested readings, and lectures for a 7 week course in Ethical Decision making. Although it was designed for an MBA program, the content has been adapted for other students and programs. Also included in the appendix is the full text for Management Exercises, a professional and spiritual development formation program based on the Spiritual Exercises that accompanies students and can be offered as a co-curricular or for credit. The content is designed to be built online on a Canvas platform. Kimberly Rae Conner is a Professor of Ethics in the School of Management at the University of San Francisco. She has a PhD in religion and literature and has published widely on African American religious life and cultural production, multicultural pedagogy, and Ignatian Spirituality. This work was made possible by the Open Education pilot grant at Gleeson Library | Geschke Center.https://repository.usfca.edu/faculty_books_all/1059/thumbnail.jp

A Way of Proceeding: Ethical Decision-Making for Management Students at Jesuit Colleges

This textbook includes assignments (group and individual) suggested readings, and lectures for a 7 week course in Ethical Decision making. Although it was designed for an MBA program, the content has been adapted for other students and programs. Also included in the appendix is the full text for Management Exercises, a professional and spiritual development formation program based on the Spiritual Exercises that accompanies students and can be offered as a co-curricular or for credit. The content is designed to be built online on a Canvas platform. Kimberly Rae Conner is a Professor of Ethics in the School of Management at the University of San Francisco. She has a PhD in religion and literature and has published widely on African American religious life and cultural production, multicultural pedagogy, and Ignatian Spirituality. This work was made possible by the Open Education pilot grant at Gleeson Library | Geschke Center.https://repository.usfca.edu/faculty_books_2020/1006/thumbnail.jp

On Quality (A critical reading of Robert M. Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and Lila)

This thesis offers a critical discussion of Robert M. Pirsig's 'metaphysics of Quality', based upon his two written works, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (1974) and Lila (1991). Discussion is pursued through a narrative style loosely modelled on Pirsig's literary contemplation of composition and Quality, but also with an emphasis on the form of a Platonic dialogue, albeit from a Postmodern perspective. The issues raised in the thesis focus upon an examination of Pirsig's conception of Quality in the light of philosophical histories and Deconstruction and include a detailed discussion of whether all forms of writing are, by definition, both creative and rhetorical. Investigation is also made into elements of Zen Buddhism and Taoism in relation to Quality and Post-Structuralism. I analyse Pirsig's use of specific terms such as 'The Platypus' (that which challenges traditional categorisation); the 'Church of Reason' (a critique of a blind faith in logic), 'Care' (a term with close links to Heidegger's philosophy) and the 'ghost of rationality' (reality constructed upon the voices of the dead). I also examine Pirsig's attempts to disseminate binary oppositions such as Literature/Philosophy, Classic/Romantic and Subject/Object. The thesis concludes by discussing, with the personifications of the 'ghosts of rationality', the merits of Pirsig's suggestion that everything in the universe is an ethical activity

CHANNELING THE CURRENT: THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF MOVING MEDITATION FOR FINDNG A FLOW IN THINKING AND WRITING

CHANNELING THE CURRENT: THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF MOVING MEDITATION FOR FINDNG A FLOW IN THINKING AND WRITING Sarah Lynn Morris, Doctor of Philosophy, 2013 Dissertation Directed by: Professor Francine H. Hultgren Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership, University of Maryland, College Park This phenomenological study explores lived experience of moving meditation for finding flow in thinking and writing. Moving meditation is intentional practice of mindfulness that brings us deeply into our selves and the world. Connecting to pedagogical implications for teaching composition, this study suggests embodied practices may open a flow of words and ideas for those practicing movement meditation. Grounded in the philosophy of Merleau-Ponty, Heidegger, and van Manen, this work explores embodiment and lived experience, using human science phenomenology as method. Further grounded in writing process and moving meditation texts, this work connects body movement and writing practices through lived experience. I first turn toward my own experience to examine moving meditation as method of finding flow in my thinking and writing. Next, I explore the phenomenon in a range of traditions to further uncover the lived experience of moving writers. The metaphor of the circuit as descriptive of writing process and body process further illuminates the phenomenon. Initial emergent themes include process, practice, flow, solitude, and nature. Recognizing the intersubjective in the particular, this study focuses on lived experience of four high school English teachers as they make meaning through focused movement. In four sessions of meditative contemplation, these teachers walked in the woods, wrote reflections, and considered personal and pedagogical experiences. Renderings of these teachers' journals and conversations suggest themes including fear, care, wholeness, and transcendence. Drawing from these conversants' insights, I explore ways in which meditative movement opens a flow in thinking and writing for these teachers, writers themselves in the current of life. Orienting toward pedagogical implications, I engage with lived experience in order to suggest ways in which teachers of writing may create wholeness of experience for classroom communities: taking students outside, seeing students in wholeness, positioning themselves as more experienced writers, focusing on process rather that product, and being bodies themselves. In doing so, they may generate a culture of care that fosters growth of writing and writers--body, mind, and spirit wholeness-- with the world as classroom and lived life as text

Critical thinking, problem solving : a unified framework for teaching a process approach.

This dissertation presents a unified framework to teach critical thinking and problem solving in a sixth grade computer classroom. In the context of this framework, problem solving is viewed as a critical thinking skill that also incorporates application of other critical thinking skills. Through a review of literature of critical thinking, problem solving, writing, Logo, simulations, and other related areas of study, we derive instructional principles important to consider when formulating a pedagogy to teach critical thinking/problem solving in a 6th grade computer classroom. We then present a rationale for a unified framework to teach critical thinking/problem solving and describe the said framework, titled, TACTICS (Tools ((to)) Assimilate Critical Thinking in Classroom Subjects). A process approach is advocated that includes an emphasis on the development of metacognition and an inquisitive spirit, the application of a general problem solving approach, and the use of specific heuristics. Through conscious use of critical thinking skills when applying problem solving strategies, students can learn to strengthen critical thinking and problem solving skills and come to see how the same general skills are used in a variety of circumstances. Eight instructional principles are suggested to teach critical thinking skills and to promote their generalization to other subject areas. These are supported by four problem solving tools designed to aid students in connecting their problem solving experiences in one area to their work in other subject areas. These tools are: Polya Four-Step General Problem Solving Approach, The Heuristic Bank, Student and Teacher-Made Reference Manuals and Students\u27 Journals. A curriculum resource book is included that demonstrates how the use of the TACTICS model can build critical thinking and problem solving skills when studying Logo, when writing or when using a simulation. Included are examples of curriculum unit and instructions for teachers to design their own curriculum units in their subject areas

An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Science Field Trips and Hands-On Classroom Activities

This report presents an evaluation of the effectiveness of science field trips and hands-on classroom activities offered and coordinated by the Maria Mitchell Association (MMA). Through our analysis of focus groups, interviews, observations, and surveys, we conclude that the programs are effective in meeting the goals of local teachers. Nevertheless, we make several recommendations, including the implementation of a teacher-provider summit and other professional development activities. We developed a quick and easy evaluation tool for the MMA to gauge the relative success of future field trips and to identify how to improve them

Computational Thinking Self-Efficacy in High School Latin Language Learning

Research suggests that computational thinking is a necessary skill exercised in STEM courses, non-STEM fields, and in everyday life. However, very little research has investigated the potential transfer of computational thinking self-efficacy available through classical Latin courses. This causal comparative study contrasted the computational thinking self-efficacy of computer science students with no exposure to Latin to computer science students with exposure to Latin at a Memphis all-boy high school. The independent variables were Latin language learning experience, i.e., up to 6 years total of Latin language learning (n = 33), versus 0 years of Latin language learning experience (n = 20). Additional data on the number of years enrolled in other foreign languages was collected. The dependent variable was mean scores of items found on a computational thinking and problem solving self-efficacy scale. This instrument uses a Likert scale to measure students self-efficacy in nine computational thinking components including algorithmic thinking; abstraction; problem decomposition; data collection, representation, and analysis; parallelization; control flow; incremental and iterative; testing and debugging; and questioning. Conducting this research addressed the question of whether the computational thinking skills present in Latin can transfer to a students computational thinking self-efficacy which may affect STEM/computer science course achievement. To test the null hypothesis that having a Latin language learning yields no significant influence on computer science students self-efficacy in computational thinking and problem solving, a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) test was utilized for this causal-comparative study. To test the null hypotheses that having a Latin language learning yields no significant influence on computer science students abstraction, problem decomposition, data, parallelization, control flow, incremental and iterative, testing and debugging, and questioning skills self-efficacy, a separate ANOVA test were run for each computational thinking skill component.The data did not meet of the necessary assumptions for a MANOVA test. The sample size for the non-Latin group was a concern at n = 20. The means from the descriptive statistics show that the non-Latin group outscored the Latin group in most of the computational thinking skills. Pillais trace statistic from the MANOVA test showed no statistical significance in the computational thinking and problem solving scale. The individual results from the ANOVA tests showed no statistical significance for any of the nine subscales

The In-Service Training of Sunday School Personnel

The purpose of this study was to investigate the present importance and examine the potential values of the Sunday school workers\u27 conference as a major technique used for general in-service training of Sunday school personnel. Secular education is constantly striving to improve its academic standards. Christian education is becoming more aware of the need to improve its standards, but still there are areas of training whose resources have been barely tapped. The work of Sunday school is maintaining by lay members who voluntarily give of their time and effort for the cause of Christ and the church. Many of these lay members have had little or not raining in teaching techniques or principles basic to teaching. God has blessed the work of these willing and dedicated workers with a measure of success. However, the church needs to recognize the fact that if these same workers would have had the privilege of proper Christian educational training, a more extended work could have been achieved in the school